Boston-area design firms win Houzz awards. 10 of our favorites.
Houzz, the popular website for home remodeling and design, recently announced the winners of its people’s choice awards, Best of Houzz. This year marks the program’s 10-year anniversary honoring professionals whose work was the most popular among the Houzz community.
Winners, which number just 3 percent of the 2.7 million home-related professionals on the site, are marked with a “Best of Houzz’’ badge.
Boston-based architects, interior designers, landscape designers, builders, and other related professionals earned more than 300 best of spots. These spaces are among our favorites:
BAR, South End
This wet bar is a great example of how thoughtful design can take the best of an existing space and create something more beautiful and functional without having to start from scratch. Our decision to refinish the cabinetry in a bold, high-gloss lacquer and add a library ladder to enhance both style and practicality really seemed to resonate with people. — Miggy Mason and Roisin Giese, Twelve Chairs Interiors, twelvechairsboston.com
BEDROOM, South End/Leather District
In a world filled with chaos, we can always find peace of mind and balance when surrounded by orderliness, simplicity, and harmony. This is particularly important in the sanctuary space we call the bedroom. The neutral mix of materials here allows for the aubergine velvet bed dressed in Frette linens and the art from Lost Art Salon to take center stage. — Dane Austin, Dane Austin Design, daneaustindesign.com
DECK, Somerville
I think people respond well to this project because of the shared design language and integration of materials between the landscape and the building. The sliding wood doors and the stone-filled gabion facades of the carport are echoed in the deck and the landscape seat wall. Rather than a backyard with a garage in it, it feels more like one space with lots of different features, including an entire building to house cars and bikes. — Rob Gilmore, Gilmore Landscape Architecture, gilmorela.com, in collaboration with Harper Elm, harperelm.com
FAMILY ROOM, Wenham
This room is appealing because it is relaxed, comfortable, and accommodates lots of people with various seating options and a large, central coffee table. The palette is neutral, but multi-layered and textural. We used a mix of upholstery, including bouclé and leather, a vintage style rug, and mid-tone wood elements for additional warmth. — Beige & Bleu Design Studio, Morgan Mackintosh and Nicole Keys, beigeandbleu.com
LAUNDRY ROOM, Milton
We created this laundry room with a dog shower as part of an update to make this early 1900s house liveable for today. The design is timeless, stylish, and functional but true to the home’s original character. The clients had seen a herringbone floor like this on their travels. These durable pavers that look like brick add Old World charm. We think people can really see themselves using the space and enjoying it. — Kelly McGuill, Kelly McGuill Home, kellymcguillhome.com
LIVING ROOM, Newton
We wanted to modernize this classic Victorian home, but not comprise its character. We achieved this by layering various textures and materials onto a neutral foundation. To make this living room into a cozy space for the family to gather, we added a fireplace and custom cabinets. I think people responded to it because of the warmth the room exudes. The handmade zellige tile adds a cool, unique feel, while the client’s artwork make the space come alive. — Hannah Oravec, Lawless Design, lawless-design.com
LIVING ROOM, Millennium Tower
I love this living room. I think people respond to the depth of color as well as the geometry of the paneling, which adds texture to the walls. The monochromatic color palette and layers of visual interest make it a soothing and inviting space. There is always comfort in depth of color. — Robin Gannon, Robin Gannon Interiors, robingannoninteriors.com
OFFICE, Millennium Tower
We feel people are drawn to this space because it balances warm and cool tones, which is comforting and relaxing. The natural woven wallpaper has a metallic thread that adds a layer of texture, and the natural walnut desktop and shelves bring such warmth to the space. The millwork’s unexpected pop of color melds seamlessly with the neutral palette without being distracting. — Dee Elms, Elms Interior Design, elmsid.com
PATIO, Weston
We are all in search of a little retreat from our daily lives. Indoor/outdoor living allows you to take respite in your own home, almost like a mini vacation. This is a perfect spot to get away from it all, whether it’s with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. It is directly off the main house, through a set of French doors, so it is also convenient for entertaining. It is furnished affordably and simply, which allows for the architecture to shine. — Robin Anderson, Robin M. Anderson, robinmanderson.com in collaboration with Lim Design Studio, limdesignstudio.com
POWDER ROOM, Back Bay
We transformed a dated powder room into an inviting space with a punch of style. The custom green lacquered vanity with brass hairpin legs drove the design. The random pattern of the handmade Italian floor tile adds whimsy. We hoped to maximize the small space by installing a wall-hung toilet, but an old pipe impeded the swap. In the end, the design did not suffer. — Joshua Alan Carpluk, Joshua Alan Interiors, joshua-alan.com
Marni Elyse Katz captures good design @StyleCarrot on Instagram and Twitter. Send comments to [email protected]. Subscribe to our newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp.
